Device for use in tensioning thread



May 22, 1956 K. w. WEBB I 2,746,488

DEVICE FOR USE IN TENSIONING THREAD Filed June 6, 1952 9% A z w. y o; Attorney base 1 of the holder.

United States Patent Oficc Patented May 22, 1956 2,746,488 DEVICE FOR USE IN TENSIONING THREAD Karl W. Webb, Belfast, Northern Ireland Application June 6, 1952, Serial No. 292,030 Claims priority, application Great Britain June 8, 1951 i 8 Claims. (Cl. 139-214) 'tensioning thread comprises two opposed and mutually staggered series of columns adapted to allow the thread to enter therebetween and to constrain the thread to a sinuous path, when being drawn therethrough, so as to effect a tensioning of the thread, at least some of the columns being inclined downwardly in the direction of travel of the thread.

. An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to a shuttle, and with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a side ,view of the device,

Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively plan and inverted plan viewscorresponding to Fig. 1,

Figs. 4 and 5 are views from diiferent ends of the device, and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the device in use with a shuttle, only one end of the shuttle being shown.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawing, the device consists of a metal holder formed by a. base 1 and upright 2, the latter being divided by a slot 3. Two series of columns 4, 5, 6 and 7, 8, 9are provided, the columns 4, 5, 6 being anchored at one end to the upright 2 on one side of the slot 3 and the columns '7, 8, 9 being anchored at one end to the upright 2 on the other side of the slot 3. In each series the ends of the columns are spaced one above the other and the ends of the columns in one series are staggered relative to those of the other series, as is best shown in Fig. 4. From the said ends, the columns extend in substantially concentric curved formation down to the base 1, the columns maintaining their spaced relationship, as is best shown in Fig. 1, and the two series of columns converging downwardly into alignment at their lower ends where they are anchored to the base 1, this being shown best in Figs. 2, 3 and 5. For clearness in Fig. 3, only two of the columns have been shown. columns may be made of steel wire.

Referring now to Fig. 6 of the drawing, in which the device is shown in use with a shuttle 10. As shown, the

device is located opposite the eye 11 of the shuttle and aligned with the pirn 12 and is secured to the base of the shuttle by screws passing through holes 13, 14 in the At one side, the base 1 has an upright post 15 to which an arm 16 is pivotally attached at 17. The arm 16 is pivotal in a vertical planeand extends past the upright 2, its free end carrying a hollow guide member or eye 18 having a longitudinal opening 19 on its lower side. The upright 2 is provided with a rack 20 in which the arm 16 engages and the arm is made of The spring metal to maintain the engagement and to permit the arm to be displaced so that the height of the guidemember may be adjusted.

In use, the thread 21 passes from the pirn 12 through the guide-member 18, through the upper end of the slot 3, between the two series of columns around a guide member 22 and out through the shuttle eye 11. When the shuttle 10 comes into motion, the force of its acceleration causes any slackness in the thread to be taken-up so that the thread is drawn down between and frictionally engages the lower ends or lower portions of the columns and is constrained to a sinuous path through the device, as will be seen in Fig. 6, and is thus tensioned as it is drawn oil the pirn. The degree of tension may be increased or decreased by lowering or raising the guidemember 18. In Fig. 6, for the sake of clearness, only the lower ends of the columns are shown.

The columns are of rounded cross-section so as to avoid excessive friction and resultant breakage or weakening of the thread.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the tensioning means of a similar nature may additionally be located so as to act on the thread as it passes from the guide-member 22 to the eye 11 of the shuttle. The general inclination of the columns may be other than that shown in Fig. l, and the device maybe arranged so that only some of the columns are inclined, and the path between the two series of columns may be made less sinuous nearer one or other end of the device, and only that part of each column contacted by the thread need be rounded. Provision may also be made for adjusting the positions of the columns, so that the length of the sinuous path therebetween may be varied, and the lower ends of the columns need not be aligned, but may be staggered on opposite sides of a center line. The number of columns and their inclination and curvature may also be varied, so that the degree of tension most suitable for the particular thread to be tensioned may be obtained.

Also, the design and method of mounting the guidemember 18 may be varied, and, if desired, it may be fixedly mounted on the upright 2. Alternatively, or in addition to the guide-member 18, a further heightadjustable guide-member may be located at the other end of the base 1. The said further guide-member would be located in a shuttle so as to guide the thread before passing around the member 22. When used in a shuttle, the device is preferably inserted so that its base 1 is upwardly inclined in the direction away from the pirn, and with the first guide member and the adjacent end of the base substantially aligned with the axis of the pirn.

What I claim is:

l. A device for use in tensioning thread comprising a series of interspaced columns anchored at one end in a horizontal plane so that thread drawn therebetween is constrained to a sinuous path, the columnsbeing inclined to the horizontal and lying substantially in a common vertical plane, and at their other ends being anchored alternatively in laterally interspaced relationship in a vertical plane mutually perpendicular to the horizontal and vertical planes aforesaid so as to form a vertical inlet opening through which the thread may enter between the columns.

2. A device for use in tensioning thread comprising a series of columns lying substantially in a common vertical plane, the columns being anchored at their lower ends spaced one behind the other in a horizontal plane so that thread drawn therebetween is constrained to a sinuous path, and being anchored at their other ends spaced one above the other in a vertical plane, and extending between their ends at an inclination to the horizontal,

and at their said other ends being laterally and alternatively spaced apart so as to provide a vertical inlet opening through which the thread may enter and pass down to the lower ends of columns.

3. A device for use in tensioning thread comprising a series of columns having their lower ends anchored in a horizontal plane and spaced one, behind the other so that thread drawn therebetween is constrained to a sinuous path, the columns lying substantially in a common plane and extending upwardly for a relatively short distance and then curving through substantially 90, the greater portions of their lengths being substantially horizontal and spaced one above the other, and the other ends of thecolumns being anchored so as to provide an inlet opening for the thread, said opening lying in a plane mutually perpendicular to the plane of the columns and to the horizontal, whereby, when thread is drawn between the lower ends from the direction of the inlet opening, any tendency for the thread to rise is counteracted by the curvature of the columns.

4. A device for use in tensioning thread comprising a holder formed by a horizontal base member and vertical end member, the latter having a vertical slot extending from the base member, and a series of columns extending in curved and interspaced formation between said horizontal and vertical members, the columns throughout the greater part of their length lying substantially in a common vertical plane and being anchored to said vertical member alternatively on opposite sides of said slot so as to provide a vertical inlet opening through which the thread may enter between the columns and pass to the lower ends of the columns.

5. A device according to claim 4, in which the columns for the greater part of their length extend substantially horizontally. v

6. A device according to claim in combination with a shuttle, the device being located in the shuttle intermediate the thread take-ofi end of the pirn and the adjathe latter.

7. A device according to claim 6, in which means is provided in front of the thread inlet opening for positively adjusting the level of the path of the thread through the device.

8. A device for use in tensioning thread comprising a series of columns anchored at one end, their lower ends, one behind the other in interspaced relationship in a horizontal plane so that thread drawn therebetween is constrained to a sinuous path, the columns extending from their lower ends one above the other in substantially arched formation through substantially and lying substantially in a common vertical plane, and at their other ends being anchored and interspaced alternatively on each side of said vertical plane and presenting a substantially vertical inlet opening through which the thread may enter between the columns, whereby, when thread is drawn between the lower ends of the columns from the direction of the inlet opening, any tendency for the thread to rise above its required level is counteracted by virtue of the columns being of substantially arched formation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 248,618 Smith Oct. 25, 1881 600,520 Donovan Mar. 15, 1898 926,016 Northrup June 22, 1909 1,248,247 Bentley Nov. 27, 1917 1,297,495 Rhoades Mar. 18, 1919 1,725,621 Davis i Aug. 20, 1929 2,077,278 Snow Apr. 13, 1937 2,556,285 McDermott June 12, 1951 2,595,270 Klein May 6, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 649,419 France Aug. 29, 1928 660,174 Germany May 19, 1938 

